Deaconesses Poll

**Marrow Man** · #41 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaylorWest

Romans 16:1 is not so easy. I haven't totally studied it yet, but I find it very interesting that Paul way of commending Phoebe is very similar to the way he commends other servants who deliver letters to the churches. It seems that Phoebe is the one by whom Paul sent this letter. Is she an officer, no, but she is not simply a woman who donated time and money to the cause. See 1 John as well for how the letter carriers are commended.

Also, note that both Nero (Romans 13:4) and Jesus (Romans 15:8) are called servants (diakonos) in the same part of the same letter. I'm pretty sure neither served as a deacon of a local congregation.

David J Houston · #42 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 07:09 PM

I'm leaning towards saying no at the moment but I just finished reading through the late Edmund Clowney's The Church in the Contours of Christian Theology series and I remember him making a case for deaconesses that found it's main support coming from Romans 16:1. I know he was one of Keller's profs so maybe we know where he's getting it from?